Dick’s Sporting Goods has announced that the company will immediately stop selling assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazine clips. As one of the largest sports retailers in America, Dick’s will also require all customers to be at least 21 to buy a firearm regardless of local laws, this according to The New York Times.

CEO Ed Stack announced the decision Wednesday (February 28) on ABC’s Good Morning America. Stack revealed the decision in light of the recent school shooting at Florida’s Parkland High School. The 19-year-old suspected shooter, Nikolas Cruz, purchased a shotgun at Dick’s. Although the weapon he bought at Dick’s was not used in the deadly shooting, Stack said the revelation impacted the call for reform.

“We did everything by the book. We did everything that the law required, and still he was able to buy a gun. And when we looked at that, we said the systems that are in place across the board just aren’t effective enough to keep us from selling a gun like that,” the CEO said.

He added that the decision to ban the sale of assault-style rifles is permanent. “We’re staunch supporters of the Second Amendment. I’m a gun owner myself,” Stack stated Wednesday. “We’ve just decided that based on what’s happened and with these guns, we don’t want to be part of this story.”


After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary school in 2012, Dick’s pulled assault-style rifles from its stores; the company will no longer be selling the weapons at subsidiary stores. Additionally, the stores will require universal background checks, mental health information and knowledge of any past incidents with the law.

The company offered its thoughts and prayers to the families and victims of gun violence. Along with condolences, its statement read in part, “But thoughts and prayers are not enough. We have tremendous respect and admiration for the students organizing and making their voices heard regarding gun violence in schools and elsewhere in our country.”

“We have heard you. The nation has heard you. … the systems in place are not effective to protect our kids and our citizens.”